Rubies & Radishes

Welcome to my blog!

Formerly known as 30 days of Paleo.

If you are already real-food obsessed like me, hopefully you will find some new quick and easy recipes here. If you are new to paleo/real-food, I hope this blog serves as a platform to guide you as you make the lifestyle change. For all the basics on what you can and cannot eat on a paleo diet, click here and to see how I am currently eating, click here.

{the ultimate guide to eating paleo}

Are you new to paleo and confused about what you can eat? Or do you want a simple way to explain to friends/fam how this lifestyle works? Check out this awesome infographic from the greatist.com. It does a great job of breaking down the paleo diet in an accurate, simple and digestable way! 

{storing broth}

I just discovered the best way ever (at least in my humble opinion) to store broth - in mini-cupcake trays! The ones I used hold exactly 1/4 cup (I imagine that they are all the same). It makes it really easy later when I only need a certain amount to make a sauce or use in the slow-cooker.

I had bought mini-cupcake trays when we wanted to tell our parents we were pregnant. We baked them these delicious Coffee Cocoa Muffins by PaleOMG... They were so so so good! I am not that into paleo treats, so I hadn't used these cupcake trays since. I was so happy to find another use for them.

We use a lot of broth, I try to include it in our diets as much as possible. According to this article on the WAPF site, "Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals". Also, the gelatin from the broth is very good for digestion and healing the gut.

If you aren't sure how to make broth, click here. Ignore the green picture, that's just my terrible photography.

Once you have made the broth. Let it cool and then freeze it in mini-cupcake trays, I had to do it in batches because I only have 2 trays. Once, frozen, move the broth into freezer bags or some other freezer friendly storage. When using the slow-cooker, I toss the broth cubes in there first and let them start defrosting while I prep the rest of the ingredients.

Happy Sunday!

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

{the honey boo-boo}

I did recently publicly admit to watching a lot of reality tv, but I want you all to know that I do have some morals (just a little bit, but they are still there). One of the few shows that I won't watch is Toddlers & Tiaras. I personally don't think beauty pageants for toddlers and young girls is ethical (adults can do what they want) and I don't condone teaching young girls that physical beauty should be the main focus in life. With that said, one of my girlfriends posted a link to this clip on her facebook page and I could not stop watching it. I honestly probably watched it 10x - a dolla gonna make me holla, honey boo-boo! I am cracking up just typing that. Since, I feel a little guilty for finding so much humor in watching Alana say absurd and ridiculous things, I am dedicating this drink to her by calling it "the honey boo-boo" (the non-alcoholic version, of course!).

Here is the clip, in case also want to be guilty of unstoppably laughing at a soda-addicted 6 year old.

 

Now to the real purpose of this post, the recipe. This was the perfect drink to make when one of you is pregnant and can't indulge, while your partner is much luckier... And for pregnancy, if you have any nausea the fresh ginger may help settle your stomach.

images: weheartit & me.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon honey (more if you like your drinks sweeter)
sparkling mineral water or regular lemon
1/2 meyer lemon
Vodka (optional) - We like to use Ciroc because it is gluten-free

To make the ginger: I boiled some water in a tea kettle. I took the ginger and placed it in a tea infuser mesh spoon, like this one. I placed that in a glass and added the boiling water to the top of the spoon, so about 2 inches of water. I let it seep for at least 10 minutes. This made enough for 2 drinks.

Add 1/2 of ginger mixture, 1 teaspoon of honey, juice of 1/2 lemon, and vodka (if using) to a glass. Either use a martini shaker to mix it up or use a second glass, and move it from glass to glass a few times. Then add ice to the glass, fill up the rest of the glass with sparkling water. Garnish with lemon and slice of ginger.

Cheers!

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.


 

{simply sweet}

Although I don't feel particularly sentimental about Valentine's Day, (considering it's a hallmark holiday), I am Armenian after all, so I'll take any opportunity to celebrate. In college going to see the Vagina Monologues was pretty much a ritual, followed by big dinners with girlfriends. Since I've been with Brooke, we have opted to avoid the busy restaurants and cook a nice meal together at home, taking a break from our hectic lives to relax and celebrate us.

On our menu this year...
Cocktail:Ginger/Lemon w/vodka (Ciroc because it's gluten-free) for him & w/soda-water for me
Entree: Sri-Lankan grilled chicken w/ cucumber-salad
Dessert: Slow-cooked pears with Coconut Bliss

I don't eat sweets often, so I took this opportunity to indulge. I tested the recipe over the weekend and I think it goes without saying that it did not disappoint.

images: lelove, weheartit, & me.

I started these right when I began prepping dinner and they were ready to go by the time we finished eating. I used small pears, so if your pears are larger, you may want to try cooking this on high.

Ingredients
2-4 bosc pears, peeled, cored and halved (I only used 2, but this recipe would easily work for 4)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey 
Coconut milk ice-cream

1. Peel pears, cut in half and remove core. Try your best to cut the pears evenly.
2. Melt the coconut oil and add mix with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Toss pears in the mixture and coat really well. Place in slow-cooker.
4. Cook on low for 2 hours (or cook on high for larger pears) or until pears are tender and can easily be pierced.
5. Serve with coconut ice-cream and top with cinnamon.

note: I cooked these again last night and I tried it on high (although I was using small pears) & I think it worked better, they cooked faster (1.5 hours) and were more tender.

Enjoy!

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

{citrus pulled-pork}

I threw this in before I left for work the other day & we had dinner ready by the time we got home. The crock-pot has been my most relied upon tool to keep us on track with a paleo diet, while we both work full time and juggle our busy schedules. This isn't the most flavorful slow-cooker dish I've made, but I've found that it's really helpful to have simple meats ready to go. Plus, it was delicious, once it was dressed up with some salsa and avocado! 

 

3 lb. pork roast, cut into 4 or 5 pieces
1/2 cabbage shredded
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup beef broth
salt and pepper

Rub the pork with fresh herbs, lemon zest and garlic. Place in slow-cooker and squeeze lemon & orange juice over it. I actually did this the night before to save time in the morning. Add onions, cabbage and broth and cook on low for 8 hours. Shred with 2 forks and cook for an additional 30mins-1 hour.

For additional flavor: Lightly saute onions & brown pork before placing them in slow-cooker.


Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

{robb wolf's total transformation}

When the email about Robb Wolf's 30 Day Total Transformation ebook showed up in my inbox, it was a no brainer, I bought it immediately for my parents. I had been working diligently (or probably annoyingly) for the last 2 years to get them on board. I am confident that their health issues, type 2 diabetes and high-blood pressure, can be drastically improved, if not resolved with a paleo diet.

Last time I was home, my mom had a printed out copy of the Total Transformation guide, so I decided to flip through it and see what it was all about. Overall, I thought this was an excellent tool for anyone wanting to start a paleo diet. If you are already a die-hard and spend hours a day reading paleo books & blogs, this probably isn't for you, but it probably is for all the people in your life that you are constantly trying to encourage to give paleo a try. 

If you are interested in starting a paleo diet or if you have been doing one roughly for awhile, and want to refine your approach, this is a fantastic and well-priced tool. There are many amazing books out there, but not everyone is interested in the science and the details of nutrition. I am quickly realizing that although I found an instant passion for real-food nutrition, this isn't the experience for everyone. Weird, right? ;). I was noticing that I would recommend one of my favorite paleo books to friends and fam, but many people weren't getting through them.

Robb Wolf's Total Transformation ebook, is the perfect medium between all the other available resources. This is more of a step by step guide to a healthy lifestyle, with enough information that most of your questions are answered and that you understand why this approach to diet and lifestyle is optimal, but not so much information that you are going to feel overwhelmed.

I also liked that this guide tackles all aspects of healthy living, not just nutrition. It's well organized and it covers topics such as sleep & stress, exercise, how to eat & how to shop. It even provides guidelines for an exercise routine, sample meal plans & shopping lists. I see this guide as a practical approach to paleo, for those that don't want to read all the blogs & books (which I think you should cause they are super interesting! But, I am kind of paleo-obsessed, so what do I know :). It can also work as a great compliment to all the other available resources by helping you apply what you have learned. Plus, Robb is just an entertaining writer, if you listen to his podcast, his voice definitely comes across in this guide and he includes personal stories and examples, which makes anything more interesting to read.

So, do yourself a favor and quit taking a partly committed approach to paleo, buy this guide asap and commit to a solid 30 days and see what kind of results you get. I promise that you won't be disappointed.

I am also proud to announce that all my pestering, policing and irritating my family has finally paid off, both my parents, my brothers, some cousins and aunts, and a few of my mom's friends are all on board!

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

 

{burger + fries}

Confession: I have a minor reality tv addiction. I won't go as far as to admit which shows I watch regularly, that is privileged information for my closest friends. Plus, it's far too embarrassing. My husband usually won't partake in my time-sucking tv watching. However, he has grown a fondness for a reality star himself, that is Chef Ramsay ... it first started with Master Chef (the one with the home chefs), which naturally was really fun for me to watch. Then, we started watching Hell's Kitchen & now, we're into Kitchen Nightmares. If you are not familiar, this is the one where he is supposedly helping struggling restaurants turn their luck around, but for the most part he is yelling at ridiculous business owners, while the viewer is thinking, no wonder 60% (or whatever the stat is) of restaurants fail their first year. It's pretty much the same formula every episode, but the last one we watched, the restaurant was classifying themselves as "fine-dining", yet serving powdered mashed potatoes and cake from costco...Seriously? Gross! Cooking at home is way better. As he was schooling, one executive chef (I use the term loosely to describe this guy - I am getting fired up just writing this, maybe I need an intervention), on how to make a decent burger, he started pouring a bunch of stuff in with the ground beef and it inspired us to make something similar the following night, it turned out really good! Finally, all my brainless tv watching paid off (slightly).

*Hopefully, this will be the last orange meal you have to see, I just learned how to change the setting on my camera! yay!

Chef Ramsay Inspired Burger
2 lbs. grass-fed beef
1 small white onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
2 tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
salt + pepper

Mix all ingredients with beef. Make patties & grill to desired wellness! Serve with avocado & lettuce wraps.

**********

Paula Deen Inspired Sweet Potato Wedges
We also decided to make these sweet potato wedges, in light of all of the hype around Paula Deen (I know - so last week, but I got really behind on my blogging), which I don't get at all - the lady never claimed to be cooking health food. Anyway, just my unsolicited opinion. We used some different spices & proportions than Paula. Here is what we did:

3 sweet potatoes, cut legnthwise into wedges
4 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt + pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large saucepan over medium, melt the butter. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cumin and paprika. Add the potato wedges to the butter and toss to combine. Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper.
3. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast the potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving dish and serve.

Enjoy!


Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

 

 

{lavender + clove}

According to the Environmental Protection Agency,"air inside the average home is two to five times more polluted than the air outside, largely due to toxic household cleaners and pesticides."  In an effort to reduce the environmental toxins in our home, especially with the baby on the way, I have been experimenting with homemade cleaning products.This past weekend, I made an air freshener that was inspired by one of the books I have been using in this transition, Better Basic for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond. This is a fantastic book with tons & tons of recipes.

Below is a recap of an article I read on Natural News, that convinced me that making my own air freshener was the only way to go. After reading this, my thought was why even risk it? Especially when making air-freshener is so quick and simple. I think it took me under a minute to mix all this stuff.

Many store-bought scented air fresheners contain a cocktail of harmful toxic ingredients, including  volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, benzene, and limonene. In addition, they may contain benzyl alcohol, camphor, dichlorobenzene, ethanol, naphthalene, phenol and pinene. Some of these chemicals are known to trigger respiratory symptoms, such as asthma. They can also trigger other health issues such as eye irritation, bone damage and even leukemia.  Even products labeled, "natural" are not a safe bet. Some of these products may contain ingredients, such as phthalates, which are linked to low sperm count and reproductive damage. Kind of ironic, right? Chemicals that are supposed to make our air "fresher", are actually make them much more toxic.

With, Annie's permission I am sharing her "Deodorizing Spray" recipe here. The recipe I have posted is my take on her original recipe, I make a more concentrated version because I love all the scents of the essential oils. Annie's original recipe uses 1/2 cup of vodka and 1/2 cup of distilled water.

8 drops lavender oil
4 drops bergamont oil
4 drops clove oil
2 drops peppermint oil
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup distilled water

Combine all ingredients in a measuring cup, then pour into a 4 ounce glass spray bottle.

*Note: I think next time I might experiment with reducing the amount of vodka and increasing the amount of distilled water.

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

{ny steak w/ herbed butter}

Marinade for 2 NY Steaks (1lb. total)

Ingredients
1/8 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free)
salt and pepper

1. Mix all above ingredients in a small bowl
2. Pour over steak and place meat in fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes, prior to grilling.
3. Grill steak to desired wellness.

Herbed Butter (serving: 4 steaks)
Ingredients
4 tablespoons grass-fed butter (at room temperature)
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons green onion, minced
2 teaspoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 teaspoons thyme, minced
6 sage leaves, minced
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a bowl, add all ingredients and mix until smooth
2. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Serve over steak, when ready.

Note: I meant to add some lemon zest to this, but I totally spaced it. It turned out fine without it, but might be worth a try!

Enjoy!

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.

{paleo diet basics}

With the relaunch of my blog, I've picked up some new readers (at least that's what I hope :) ... I thought I would do a quick recap on what I think constitutes a paleo diet and how to get started.

"Ten thousand years ago the Agricultural Revolution was the beginning of a drastic change in the human diet that continues to this day. Today more than 70% of our dietary calories come from foods that our Paleolithic ancestors rarely, if ever, ate. The result is epidemic levels of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, gastrointestinal disease, and more."

- Dr. Loren Cordain

What is the paleo diet?
It is a lifestyle that aspires to achieve optimal health by following a diet based on the principles of our Paleolithic ancestors. Essentially, it is a diet focused on consuming whole, natural foods, such as meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy fats. Although, the average lifespan of our primitive ancestors was shorter than what we experience today, studies show that the vast majority of the population that lived into their 50s and 60s were also free of chronic diseases. If we look at modern day hunter and gatherer societies such as the Inuit, they also tend to live free of modern diseases until they adapt a modern diet. The current paleo movement uses our ancestors as a starting point, but leverages modern science to evaluate the benefits of an ancestral approach to diet.   

How to get started
Eat plenty of meats, seafood, vegetables, eggs, healthy fats and some fruit and nuts.

Avoid grains and legumes:
Especially wheat and other gluten containing grains, such as rye and barley.  Also avoid soy, corn, beans, and peanuts (they are actually a legume, not a nut).

Avoid added sugars:
This includes artificial sweeteners. Only occasionally consume natural sweeteners, such as honey and maple syrup.

Avoid industrial vegetable/seed oils:
This includes canola, corn, soybean, cottonseed oil, etc. If you are confused about which fats & oils to consume, print this useful guide by Balanced Bites.

Don’t be afraid to eat healthy fats:
This includes animal fats, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, palm-oil, ghee, grass-fed butter (Trader Joe’s carries a brand called Kerrygold), lard, tallow.

Eat foods with minimal ingredients list:
If you don’t recognize something in the ingredients list or if it is something your grandma didn’t eat, chances are neither should you.

Include dairy in your diet only if you digest it well. Whenever possible, choose dairy from a grass-fed source:
If you are not sure how well you tolerate dairy, I suggest cutting it out for a month and then reintroducing it. If you are going to include dairy, it is best to use high-quality dairy from grass-fed sources. Grass-fed dairy is richer in nutrients and has a better fat composition, plus it tastes amazing!

All "cheats" are not created equal:
If you fall off the wagon momentarily, stay focused on avoiding gluten containing items such as wheat, rye, and barley. These are some of the harshest foods on our bodies. One function of the paleo diet is to reduce inflammation in the body and improve health and performance by removing food toxins. If you do indulge in a gluten-free treat, such as rice, beans or corn tortilla chips, don’t beat yourself up about it, just get back on track during your next meal.

As the typical American diet is heavily made of grains, at first glance it seems overwhelming to exclude these foods. As we look at what we can eat, we see that the options are endless on the paleo diet. You can have meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, herbs/spices, and healthy sources of fat. Any combination of these foods makes for a fantastic meal!   

Is the paleo diet a low-carb diet?
No. The paleo diet is actually macro-nutrient agnostic. There are people that choose to take a low-carb approach, particularly if weight loss is the goal. Depending on your needs, you can adjust accordingly. For athletes, they may choose to include lots of starchy options such as sweet potatoes, white potatoes (with no skin, as this is where the toxins are), tubers, plantains, and bananas.

What are some of the benefits of the paleo diet?

• Weight loss
• Omega-3/Omega-6 balance in the diet
• Reduced inflammation in the body
• Reduced the risk of modern day diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease
• Increased energy and focus
• Better athletic performance

What are some tips for following a paleo diet?

• Clean out your fridge and pantry– Throw out all the foods that you will not be consuming on the paleo diet. If they are not around you, it is much less tempting to eat them.
• Eat enough food– eat until you are full. This may seem counter-intuitive because we have been told so often to eat smaller portions. However, when we are eating the foods our bodies were designed to eat, our bodies also know when they have had enough. Trust your body. Paleo diets typically tend to have a much lighter caloric load than grain based diets, so you may need to eat more in volume to stay full. If you eat larger meals, you will also need fewer snacks. Snack foods even on a paleo diet are the ones that are easy to over eat, such as nuts and fruits. 
• Be very strict the first 2 weeks - Do not “cheat” at all – I have found from my own experience and from talking to friends that the first 2 weeks are the most difficult. You may not feel great at this time because your body is adjusting to the changes in your diet and you may still be craving the foods you used to eat. Stick with it and it will become much easier after this point. I promise!
• Be prepared – preparation is key, especially when you are first starting out. Plan what you are going to eat in advance and prepare whatever you can ahead of time.

I tend to focus on preparing meat in advance, as I find this to be the most time consuming. The crock-pot/slow-cooker is one of the best paleo tools! I make a large roast every Sunday and this lasts us for a few meals. This way at dinner time, we can throw together a well-balanced meal very quickly.

Easy Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Recipe:

Ingredients:

3-4 lb. roast
1 cup of stock
2-3 cloves garlic
1 onion - sliced
1-2 teaspoons cumin
dash of cayenne
salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons of grass-fed butter, ghee, coconut oil, or bacon fat (whichever you prefer). 

1. Rob roast with cayenne, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper
2. Sauté onions in fat of choice for 1-2 minutes
3. Then, add roast and brown on all sides
4. Move roast and onions to slow cooker
5. Pour 1 cup of stock in to slow cooker
6. Cook on low for 7-8 hours

Please feel free to leave a comment or contact me via e-mail if you have any questions!

Best of luck in your paleo journey!

xoxo,
Arsy

 

Click here to follow me on twitter & click here to follow me on facebook.